#isa is salty as the sea

[carbela-nation]

Carbela HC

(Watched OITNB tonight and it got me thinking)

Isabela and Carmen share many 'firsts' together and one that I have been thinking about is Isabela's first time seeing the ocean. Now, of course, the Encanto has the river- but that is nothing in comparison to the neverending blue depths that is the ocean.

(I may or may not be heavily inspired by Miley Cyrus's Malibu here but) her whole part: "I never came to the beach or stood by the ocean I never sat by the shore under the sun with my feet in the sand But you brought me here and I'm happy that you did 'Cause now I'm as free as birds catching the wind I always thought I would sink, so I never swam I never went boatin', don't get how they are floatin' And sometimes I get so scared of what I can't understand"

Feels so deeply connected to Bela, especially in Carbela's case.

It's a new kind of freedom with Carmen, she's learning new things- experiencing new things. Truly seeing what else she can do when she isn't bound by the shackles of remaining within the Encanto forever.

Carmen is understanding, she wants to see what else Isa can do and she wants to be there with her when she finds out. A gentle encouragement, no forcing- she doesn't make Isabela feel like she is supposed to do something. When Isabela is with Carmen, she finally feels like she has a choice. When she first catches a glimpse of the sun reflecting off the sea waves- hears the sound of crashing tides and smells the salty air- it kind of shakes her awake. With Carmen, there is endless possibility, a sense of constant new.

[heartlessfujoshi]

special kisses - an isalea one shot

Title: Special Kisses Fandom: Kingdom Hearts Pairing: IsaLea Rating: General (Minor Angst with a happy ending) Word Count: ~1,790 Prompt: Jealousy

Summary: Isa isn’t used to having to share Lea with others, and when it happens, he becomes very unhappy.

A/N: Here’s my next offering for @akusaimonth​ festivities. Please enjoy! 

---

Isa wasn’t someone who adapted very easily to new situations. Now, his best friend - Lea - was the complete opposite of him. Lea could go into something without knowing anything, and be comfortable with it. He would chat up complete strangers, and would have them laughing their heads off with some weird anecdote that Isa knew meant nothing, but to Lea and his audience, it meant everything. Isa sometimes wondered how the two of them were even friends, as Lea was so out of his element, it was almost laughable. 

But then, there were those quiet moments that they got to share with only each other. Lea spending time with him at his home, interacting with his family. Spending the night. He was attached to Lea in ways that he was too afraid to admit. 

He would be lost without Lea. 

Which is why, when that strange boy with blond hair showed up in Radiant Garden, Isa felt like his world was collapsing around him. Because he saw how Lea acted around him. Saw the pure joy on Lea’s face that he thought only he got to see. It was the same smile that Lea would give him after they shared a sea salt ice cream. 

Isa didn’t like it. 

Not one bit. 

There was this pain in his stomach as he listened to Lea talk to this….Ventus. He had to pretend that he didn’t care. That this meant nothing. And so, he joined the conversation, after watching Lea get his butt handed to him by Ventus, and went the route of teasing Lea rather than get upset like he was initially feeling. Or was it something else? Isa knew it was a feeling he’d never really experienced before this. He knew that he didn’t like how Lea acted with Ventus, as it made him feel awful. 

Once the blond was gone, Isa wasn’t sure what he was supposed to say to Lea. “What’s the deal with that kid? Why were you flirting with him?” No, that sounded too possessive. He didn’t want to come across as possessive. But really, no one was allowed to see that smile on Lea’s face. He was the only one that got to see it. Not some stranger that had arrived and wasn’t doing anything of importance here. 

“What’s wrong, Isa?” Lea asked, as they took their ice cream and went up to the roof of Lea’s house. They could see the castle off towards the west, its looming presence one that couldn’t really be ignored in Radiant Garden. “You’re not very talkative today.” 

He bit down into his bar. The sweet, yet salty treat clung to the roof of his mouth as he gently began to chew it before swallowing. “I’m fine, Lea.” 

“No, you’re not.” A finger came in front of his face, as Lea shook his finger at him. “You can’t lie to me, Isa. I know you.” 

“You do not.” Isa mumbled, taking another bite of his ice cream. 

“It’s about Ventus, isn’t it?” 

Hearing him say that name made red appear in his vision. And not because of Lea’s bright red hair. No, this was something else entirely. “Why would I care about him?” 

“I don’t know. But you were fine before I met up with him, and now you’re all weird.” Lea leaned back on the roof, putting his hands behind his head as he looked up at the sky. “It’s like you’re jealous, which is stupid because there’s no reason to be jealous.” 

Jealous? Him? No, that couldn’t be it. 

As he thought about what Lea said, it all began to make sense. Yes, that was it. He was jealous of Ventus. But why? He knew that Lea was his best friend, and would always be. He knew that he loved Lea very much, and seeing him act like he did with him with a total stranger had hurt. It had hurt a lot. 

“I’m not jealous.” Isa finished his ice cream, and saw that there was writing on the stick. ‘Winner’. Hah. He didn’t feel like a winner right now. Not at all. 

“Yes, you are.” Lea grabbed his arm, and pulled him to lay down next to him. Isa didn’t bother to fight, because that’s where he wanted to be. Against Lea. Closer to him. Never close enough. “Don’t worry, Isa. You’re the only one I love, okay? No one else will ever replace you.” 

Blushing, he hid his face against Lea’s neck. “Shut up, Lea.”

“Only if you make me.” 

Lea’s laughter rang in his ear, bringing a small smile to his lips. It was stupid, really. He knew that there was nothing to be jealous about. Lea was his best friend. Some stranger wasn’t going to take that away from him. Even if Lea had been flirting with him. 

“How do you propose I do that, hmm?” He asked, turning to lay on his side, his chin now resting on Lea’s sternum. “Do you have a suggestion, Lea?” 

“I might!” Lea nodded his head. “But it’ll require something.” 

“What’s that?” 

“A kiss.” 

Isa’s eyebrow rose up. “A kiss?” 

“That’s what I said.” Lea pointed to his lips. “One kiss, Isa.” 

“Why? What would solve any of this by doing that?” He shook his head. 

Lea put a hand over his heart. “Ouch, Isa. That hurts. Why don’t you want to kiss me?” 

“I don’t see any reason to.” It wasn’t true, though. He wanted to kiss Lea, more than anything. 

A long, annoyed sigh left his best friend’s mouth. “Fine. The reason I want a kiss is because it will be ours. No one else’s. So you don’t have to feel jealous when I hang out with someone else.” 

“Are you going to hang out with someone else??” Isa felt his stomach drop at the thought. 

“No, you dummy!” Lea groaned. “Just, stop, okay? Come here and give me a kiss.” 

Isa knew that it was going to be a bad idea. If he were to kiss him, then it would open the floodgates to certain things he wasn’t really ready for. But, he did like the idea of it being something that only the two of them shared. It would always be theirs, and no one else’s. Lea was his, and he was Lea’s. 

Closing his eyes, he leaned forward and pressed his lips against Lea’s with a tentative kiss. He’d never kissed anyone before, but knew what should be done. As his lips pressed against Lea’s, he felt the warmth of Lea’s lips return the pressure against his own. He moaned softly, the touch very intimate, even for a chaste kiss. He pressed his lips against Lea’s with a little more pressure, and heard him make a similar noise. A noise that made a heat appear in his stomach, making his head spin. 

He ended the kiss with a soft exhale against Lea’s lips. “Better?” He asked, his chest rising and falling, as he tried to control his feelings. A lot was happening at once. His first kiss. He kissed Lea. His heart was beating very hard, and he felt very lightheaded. 

“Almost.” Lea put his hands on his face, and brought him back down towards him and began to kiss him again. Isa sank into the kiss, his lips parting as Lea’s tongue skillfully pushed into his mouth, making him ache in a way he never expected to feel. 

The kiss came to an end, Isa panting softly as Lea looked at him with a smirk on his lips. “See? No one gets these kisses, Isa. Only you. Do you know why?” He shook his head. “Because you’re my very best friend.” Lea picked up Isa’s hand and kissed the back of it. “No matter what happens, you will always be my best friend, okay? You don’t have to be jealous. You’re the only one for me.” 

“I want to believe you.” Isa could feel his chest aching again, as he thought about Ventus. “But, Lea-” 

“No buts.” The redhead shook his head. “You have to trust me, Isa. That’s what friends do, right? They trust each other.” 

Isa nodded. “I trust you, Lea.” 

“I trust you too. Now, come on - let’s go do something fun!” 

He followed Lea off the roof, and towards the middle of town. He had to believe that Lea was telling the truth - that he will always be his best friend, no matter what. Isa knew that no one else would ever be able to compare to Lea. 

***

Saïx could hear them laughing, could hear Axel telling a joke he’d heard hundreds of times when they were younger. More peals of laughter came out of the person that Axel was telling the joke to. The person who looked exactly like the person that had thrown Isa’s world into complete chaos with his best friend. The Nobody that went by the name of Roxas. 

He pretended to pay no attention to them, and as more of the Organization RTC’d from their missions, he was able to use that as a distraction. But it was almost as if Axel was testing him, as he kept making Roxas laugh over and over, sharing that one smile that Saïx had always assumed was his own smile. But the blond was here again, proving to him that that smile wasn’t only meant for him. 

Hours later, there was a knock on his bedroom door. He opened it, and wasn’t at all surprised to see the redhead standing there with a look on his face that Saïx knew well. 

“Can I come in?” Axel asked, shifting back and forth on his feet. “Please, Isa?” 

And there it was. He stepped to the side, allowing the redhead to enter his room. As the door was closed, he was pulled into Axel’s arms, where his lips were soon captured by his powerful lips, the anger and jealousy that had returned tenfold slowly slipped away again as Axel laid his claim on him. 

“I love you.” Axel whispered into his ear. “I’m so sorry, Isa. I don’t know what I was doing.” 

A deep sigh left his mouth. “I know, Lea. But it doesn’t matter. You’re here now.” He slipped out of his arms, and drew Axel towards the bed. “Join me?” 

“I don’t want to be anywhere else, Isa.” 

He knew those words were true. No matter how much the blond made him laugh, Saïx knew that Roxas could never come between them like this. No one could. Because they belonged to each other - they always had. Jealousy was fleeting, but this - this was forever. And as Axel pushed into his body, Saix knew that Axel would, and always will, be his. 

[isas-identity]

lance was like “i’ve loved you for a VERY LONG TIME” but still chose keith in the feud and said he was the future like????

[mxssromanoff]

Cupcakes

prompt; you made salty cupcakes by accident and your girlfriend isabela tried so hard to pretend that they weren't

pairing/s; isabela x fem!reader

warning/s; a curse word

wordcount; 632

a/n; since my only date for vday are my assignments ;;

Isabela loved you. She really did. She prayed endlessly, looked out for 11:11, blew every dandelion in existence, made sure that she got the part of the chicken with a wishbone in it, and nearly joined a cult just so she could be with you.

It might have been a little bit overboard, but was it they worth it? Absolutely.

It was clear to anybody who knew Isabela that she was head over heels for you.

This woman was ready to do anything for you. Just say the word and she'd be willing to learn how to grow flowers on the moon for you to gaze upon every night.

Of course, that included trying out your cooking for the first time. Like, how bad could that possibly be?

Sure, you were a kitchen newbie whose knowledge in boiling water was next to nothing, but she was confident that you can do it! After all, you grew with your tía who was great at cooking, yes?

Except all that hyping up came stumbling down the drain the moment she took a mouthful of that cutely decorated cupcake you've worked so hard on—and perhaps, she had been too confident.

“How is it?” you asked, awaiting judgment.

It was a mighty battle for Isabela to fight off the wince that threated to form on her face, and an even tougher one to smile through it all.

She nodded her head, giving you an encouraging thumbs up as she struggled to chew the cupcake.

It was like having the ocean in her mouth.

“Really?” your eyes lit up as you smiled from ear to ear, quite proud of your cupcakes.

Isabela's heart swelled at the sight.

If it meant that she'd get you to smile like that, she was more than willing to sacrifice her kidneys for you.

Now if only her body didn't make swallowing so difficult...

Isabela nodded her head with a smile.

“If you liked it then maybe your abuela might like it too,” you said as you turned around, nearly making her choke—on the plus side, at least she was finally able to swallow.

“My—my abuela?” she asked.

“Yes, your abuela!” you said in nothing but enthusiasm as you got the cupcakes out of their molds. “Actually, maybe I should bring some over for your whole family. You know, for a good first impression?”

Isabela laughed nervously. “Yes, yes...that sounds...absolutely wonderful!”

“Or would señora Alma appreciate something more Colombian?” you asked. “But I won't have much time to make them—”

“Y/N,” Isabela said.

“How do you make flan de coco again—”

“Y/N—”

“Mierda, I forgot mi tía's recipe—”

“Y/N—”

“What if I just—”

“Mi amor.” Isabela placed her palm against your cheek, gently turning your head to face her amidst your rambling. “They'd love you with or without your cooking.”

More emphasis on the without, but Isabela wasn't about to dampen your spirits as a complete neophyte in the kitchen. Maybe her mama would even get to teach you that you don't put the whole ocean on any dessert at all.

“And I think I'd rather just enjoy your cupcakes on my own.”

Well, less on enjoyment and more on making you happy.

You leaned into her touch, absolutely smittened with her just as she was with you. “You're too sweet, mi vida.”

“Only because you bring out the best in me,” Isabela smiled before pressing her lips against yours. Your arms made its away around her neck as you brought her closer to you, deepening the kiss when...

“Isa?”

Isabela hummed as you broke away from her, the taste of your lips an effective remedy to the lingering taste of the cupcake she just ate.

“Why do you taste like the sea?”

[ohbluejay]

MOURN ME. for @kasimirfrei​ & @ofrooks​​ // freedom comes at a cost, you know this. why do you keep paying the prize when it might not be worth it? // trigger warning for grief, mentions of death.

They don’t have graves. Maybe it has something to do with the way the Sectatores view death or maybe it’s just what the survivors deserve. No place to return to, when they want to give shape to their grief. No physical reminder of what you’ve lost. Of what they made themselves lose. No ash, no dust, no bones — nothing but the gaping hole in a chest, organ removed, frostbite. 

This is how it was always destined to be. Fate demanded that there could be one survivor, one free corvid and in this version of the story, the chosen one is Mateo — but is this freedom? Why does that concept – which really is just that: a concept, a vague idea, a promise that is never kept – always come at the steep prize of other people’s lives? Besides, isn’t it in death that one reaches complete freedom? Untethered, let loose, no longer tied down by earthly things like gravity and responsibility.

It has been three years since they got the Tear. Three years since the pay-out, which really just meant that the others had to pay up. Three years of no Blue Jay, no Caedes Corvi, no birds flocking at windows except for a curious pigeon that’s just a pigeon. Three years of trying to live with the guilt that sleeps in his bed, sits on his couch, takes a beer from his fridge and picks at his dinner. Three years of both their voices in his head, a chorus of condemnation. It should have been you, not us. I would have found a way through. I would have been the right victor.

Grief demands rituals. Mateo tends to return to the coast, because that’s where his grief has always felt best. For the others he lost, he has made other rituals: strumming guitars for Pasi and the recording of one of Isa’s performances playing quietly every now and then, Anezka’s books sitting on a shelf and the lighter Fei once stole off only used to light candles. He’s not sure how to mourn Lawrence or most of the others, but he tries.

But for them, he drives to the coast. 

He’s always mourned family there, a childlike belief that his mother lives within the waves having stuck to him. If there’s no ashes, no bones, no bodily remains: then there is this. From all the metaphors about grief, he’s always liked the one about the sea most. That it ebbs and flows, takes and gives, reaches and subtracts. That no matter how calm the ocean might be one moment, it will always be ruthless the next. Grief, endless and cyclical, repetitive and systemic.

He parks his car and sits in it until the song finishes. It’s another little ritual: these mix tapes he’s made, continues to make. Music released into the world in the years they no longer breathe, reminding him of them — as if that, too, is just proof that there really is no free will. That things are created to remind him of his suffering and that he’s not alone in that. This is not a comforting thought. It never has been. 

Eyes closed, hands on steering wheel. He’s loitering. Delilah would berate him for it, Kasimir would sit with him in it. If he wasn’t here, neither of them would sit here, accepting his grief and building rituals around it — Kasimir would undo the structures that had made this so. Delilah would look away from it and hold her head high. Mateo lets himself be swallowed. Wades into the salty waters of loss and considers floating away on it. Carried to whatever is behind the horizon.

Sometimes, he tries to do what they might have done. Rage pushes him to investigate the Faceless, to hunt this thing that cannot be hunted, to think of vengeance as a higher cause followed in their name. Other days, he tries to move as if grief hasn’t created a hole in his being and it really is easier to breathe that way, ignoring emotions. Until his lungs constrict, that is.

The song ends. He unbuckles his seatbelt, opens the door, is greeted by the air of salty sand and smiles faintly.

Two years ago, he was sitting by himself at a bar, nursing a drink and considering future paths and divergences. A conversation was struck, with a stranger — the type that can only live in the liminal space of a bar fifteen minutes before closing, continued once it does while walking cobbled roads and chain-smoking cheap cigarettes. She spoke of her brother, the freshly turned earth of his grave, the fucking headache that finding a headstone was in this economy, how ugly most of them are, how every day since the funeral had felt heavier than the one before somehow, when grief is supposed to become lighter.

Mateo listened, as he always does, and speaks then: “I had a brother and sister. I lost them, too.” Cigarette raised to lips, embers glowing. He’d switched to Kas’ favoured brand of smokes by then. “Never had a funeral. No grave.”

“Cremated?”

“No. It’s a long story, but nothing.”

She’s quiet. 

“I wish there was a grave. Even if it was with an ugly headstone. Or a place, where we scattered ashes. You know, anything.” 

A snort. “Yeah. I get that.” She lights up another cigarette, sways lightly. “Make your own place, then. It’s not the body you mourn, right? Not the dead one, I mean. So it could be anywhere. A grave, or a place.”

He’s taken off his shoes by now, socks balled up in his sneakers. Sand between his toes. Mateo feels weighed down by the weight of his body moving through the sand, but soon enough he’s standing with his feet in water. 

This is their place, this small strip of beach. An hour long walk from the parking lot, often abandoned. Sometimes he spots a seal. Most of the times, it’s just the seagulls wondering if he’s brought a snack he can share. There’s people that walk past, but not many that put down their towel. It’s — quiet, yet loud. It’s infinite.

Sometimes, it feels forced to come here. He’s stopped planning it, though: has started giving into the unpredictable beats of grief. Gets in his car and drives. Every time he gets here, where the dunes are a familiar shape and the water finally reaches his toes, he considers himself and his right to grieve them. Considers the shape of his grief. The kitchen knives that remind him of Kas, the whistling kettle that reminds him of Lila. The cruelty that got him here — his own, as well as that of the Faceless. 

What makes a sibling? It takes a pair of people putting more than one child together and undeniably tethering these children together. Red thread, binding organs and minds together. Shared experience, shared weight, shared root, shared rot. It seems dramatic, sometimes, to consider Rook and Magpie his late siblings — but hadn’t it been like that? Put together, sharing burden and stature, ordered in a natural order, tied together with red thread. 

He cannot wield a scissor to cut that thread. He couldn’t when they were in the depths of it, hunting after the Tear while hunting after each other and he still cannot now. He feels it, those tethers, pulling at his hands as waves lap at his ankles. They beckon him forward, to a place where they can once again be together. Rope around his heart, constricting. Stuck in his lungs, cramping. Tied around his stomach, removing appetite.

He stands in the sea and he always says the same: “I miss you. And I’m sorry.” 

He does not come for forgiveness, because it’s not something the dead can grant you. He comes only to have a place to lay his grief and hope that it’s enough to honour them. The only thing that’s left to do for his fellow corvids is remembrance through ritual. Make a place for them even if they no longer inhabit the world. It is not enough — but it’s all there is.

[taliaxlatia]

how about sensory prompt 59 for platonic Isa and Xion?

just trying to feel alive

Rating: G Word Count: 432 Prompt: Orange sunsets Read on AO3: here

XXX

“Can you eat?” Saix asks the cloaked figure standing to his left.

It—she—hovers just outside his reach, as if her core somehow remembers what her mind cannot: that Saix is a threat. 

Saix barely remembers, himself. He should be grateful for that. What he’s been able to piece together from the gaps in his diary and from Vexen’s research notes is… unpleasant, to say the least.

“You don’t have to. I believe you once enjoyed it, though.” He holds out the second bar of sea-salt ice cream. A meager peace offering, one she can accept or reject at her discretion.

Her gloved fingers reach out and brush the plastic wrapper. She startles just a bit at the crackling sound.

Was she always this… alive?

Most likely. He just hadn’t been paying attention. Too wrapped up in jealousy he shouldn’t have been able to feel.

That jealousy is gone, now. Not because of any heroic effort on his part—simply because the emptiness in his chest is too raw. No heart has been able to plant its roots there, yet. Not with the weeds of Xehanort’s influence choking it out.

But Saix doesn’t require emotions to know what’s right. He’s fallen back on that excuse for too long.

Finally, Xion takes the bar of ice cream from his hand. He sits down with his back to the ledge, his legs stretching tower-wards. Axel probably sat with the children on the ledge itself, facing the sunset, but Saix refuses to test Xion’s balance in such an unsafe manner.

After a beat, she mirrors him. It’s what she has always been best at: copying the traits of those around her.

He wishes Lea were here. He may not be a perfect role model by any means, but he’s surely better than Saix.

He watches her from the corner of his eye as he unwraps his ice cream. Yes, she can eat, it appears. He keeps his bites small, so she won’t accidentally choke herself imitating him.

“Do you like it?” he asks.

There’s no room in his non-heart for apprehension, but the silence still seems to drag on unnaturally long. The orange gleam of the sunset casts longer and longer shadows, chilling him even through his coat.

“It’s… sweet,” she finally mumbles. It’s the first thing she’s said since Vexen reloaded what they hoped were her memory files—data stored on Xemnas’s computer in the Castle That Never Was. “But… kind of salty, too.”

He swallows his own bite of ice cream. It feels too thick in his throat.

“It is, isn’t it?”

[angelsinflight]

Saïx’s Story

[Copied from the Kingdom Hearts Character Files official release.] [Master Post here ] [Photo and info under the cut.]

“Say What You Will”

What is a heart, ultimately?

What does it mean to be a friend? Do connections between hearts have meaning?

  Maybe, to me, it has meaning to feel that the time I spend here like this is precious. The time spent simply watching the setting sun and eating ice cream is so peaceful and wonderful.

  What is the Organization, what is a heart? Hey, you, sitting next to me. What do you think? I’ve never asked you, but I can just imagine it. Imagining it gives me a slightly painful yet warm feeling, but I suppose all of the heroes of the Keyblade were right after all.

  It’s as if there’s sweetness and saltiness inside my chest, like the flavor of sea salt ice cream.

Preparing the puppets was meant to help us atone, but I don’t even know who I wanted to make amends to. Maybe I wanted to make amends to the person I used to be. Back then, we believed we could do anything. We thought we could rescue that girl together. I don’t know how things ended up like they did. 

You used to be a crybaby. Before I knew it, the marks under your eyes that stopped you from crying disappeared, and you began to make friends other than me and laughed with them. Ultimately, I was just being obstinate. I was a fool who was being used.

Even so, in some respects, I always believed in you. So now we’re here, side by side, watching the sunset and eating sea salt ice cream.

In the end, you’re still a crybaby, but you don’t need those upside-down tear marks anymore. Just like you don’t need me anymore. Yes, I thought I wasn’t someone you wanted around any longer. That’s why I sacrificed myself for that man. If you don’t need me anymore, then there’s nothing left for me. But in reality, I was wrong. It wasn’t about needing or not needing. If just our hearts are connected, that’s all that matters.

Roxas and Xion laugh next to us, and the children from Twilight Town have joined us as well, so it’s just a little noisy here. Normally, you would be noisy, too, but you’re simply watching them fondly. The gaze you’re sending their way is kind and warm. Next to you, I eat the sweet and salty ice cream. It tastes the same as it did back in Radiant Garden when we were young. I never imagined a future like this, sitting side by side and eating ice cream.

Being the crybaby is supposed to be your specialty. And yet. . . 

The sunset stings my eyes.

———————————————————————————— Just uploading scans of the character files pages is making it hard to read, so I’m trying to copy things over for my friends abroad who aren’t able to get ahold of the book. If there is anything you want specifically please lmk. AHHHHH Isa.... I love his characterization so much.

[akepalsson]

WEEK 1 —Training Challenge: Introduce your rider.

A little late but I wanted to join the fun @thescorpioracesfestival

The salty wind hits my face, but it doesn’t bother me. I’ve grown used to it, everyone who spends their time on this beach has. 

“What are you doing here?”

I turn around to see Isadora Levy, the woman who lives next door to us. Isadora and her husband are good family friends and when Mom went to the mainland they made sure my brother and I were well-fed.

“Waiting for them to come out.” is my unusually short reply, and my gaze returns to the ocean.

Isadora sighs, but she sits on the small cliff next to where I’ve been sitting for hours now. She's wearing her best clothes, which can only mean she's going to Skarmouth, to the church, or maybe the shops. When you don't have to worry about money, those are the kinds of activities you can do in your day-to-day life.

“Don't you have to go to work?” Isadora insists, moving her legs, which are dangling from the cliff. She can tell I’m focused, usually, our dynamic is reversed: I’m the one asking questions and bothering her, while Isadora is calm and collected. Maybe it’s too early for me to be talking a lot. 

“I start in an hour.” I shake my head and she seems to understand, for her face shows no concern. I keep explaining. “I've been coming to the beach early since the beginning of October, waiting.”

“What exactly do you plan to do?” Is her question, because she knows what I'm talking about. Everyone on the island knows it.

“I just want to be the first to see them.”

See them. Them, the capaill uisce. The famous killer horses, who emerge from the sea of ​​Scorpio once autumn begins. Those fearsome horses, gigantic in comparison to a normal animal, which only the strongest of men can tame into their mounts during the annual race, the Scorpio Races, Thisby's foremost event.

“Well, Amber,” Isadora says my name with her weird accent. She's not from Thisby but she's not from the mainland either, she comes from an island not far away that she doesn't like to talk about. “We’re only through the first week of October, I’m almost sure that there is still time for the first capall to emerge.”

I know, but I don't want to miss it. I feel the need to pout, but I don't. I'm practically an adult now, I shouldn't be pouting anymore, much less at someone like Isadora.

Before Isadora says something like ‘You don't want to lose your job either,’ I stand up from the cliff, moving away from where she was sitting. Isadora follows me and we both walk off together, me heading to Malvern’s Yard and Isadora to somewhere in Skarmouth.

“You’re not thinking of joining the races, are you?” Isadora questions me, putting a hand on my shoulder. I smile back at her, she just shakes her head in disappointment but she knew that already, there was no need to ask. “Amber, why are you putting your life at risk? Isn’t it already enough working with those demonic horses in your daily life? Must you also do this?”

“It’s going to be fine, Isadora.” I put my hair in a high ponytail as we walk, the loose blonde curls hanging on my face aren’t exactly comfortable for cleaning horse shit all day, so a ponytail is the best option. “Besides, the money would suit me well.”

“You’re doing this for the money? Oh, Amber. There are better ways to get it than this, the races are practically a suicide!”

“You have so little faith in me, Isa.” 

Isadora sighs, she’s not in the mood for this. “You better than anyone knows how dangerous the races are.”

She’s right, so I shut my mouth. Isadora is referring to my brother, who died in the races years ago. Since then I’ve been taking after his job and his capall, as me and my dad need the money he used to bring. I’m too fond of the horse to sell it and my brother loved the animal so I can’t just let it go like that. Besides, maybe he can help me with my plans of joining the race.

“Amber, if I can’t change your mind, the least I can do is pray for you.” Isadora keeps saying, holding her hands together. “May the ocean watch you, Amber Goode, we need you alive here.”

[nadziejastar]

Fun fact, eventhough bunnies are shy, they still get jealous if owner is paying attention to another pet. They'll stomp their feet.

Almost reminds me of someone.

That is exactly what I think the writers were intending for him. I think they had several inspirations for Isa's Un-Norted personality. The first was, like you said, the rabbit, which has a strong association with the Moon in Eastern cultures. The rabbit also portrays the strong dichotomy between Saix and Isa. Saix is beastly, like a werewolf. He's all about physical power. A rabbit is the exact opposite. Shy, gentle and requiring affection. Rabbits are also a symbol for love, due to their fertility. Isa lacked fighting power, but he had the power of love.

The second was astrology. Isa was a Cancer, which is the sign ruled by the Moon. That's where all the moodiness and insecurity comes in, along with his tendency to retreat into his shell. Cancers are afraid of abandonment and get jealous easily. They are very sensitive, but do not express their emotions readily and are very indirect in their communication. They are also very maternal and nurturing and tend to be homebodies.

The third was sea-salt ice cream. Saix's Claymore is shaped like the Norse rune "Isa" which has the ice element. I think originally, Saix's element was going to be "Ice". Saix and Axel were probably always meant to be polar opposites. They are numbers 7 and 8. They're red and blue. Saix's trademark personality trait was coldness. Axel was fiery. Axel was the most sympathetic member with the biggest heart. Saix was the least likable member to many fans and was the most heartless. They ultimately decided to give the ice element to Vexen and made Saix's element "Moon" instead.

But to honor the original idea of "Ice", they gave Isa a strong connection to ice cream. I think they were trying to directly base his personality off of the sea-salt flavor. Saix was pure saltiness. He's mean, always has a grumpy expression, never ever smiles. In BBS, Isa was salty, too. He scolded and insulted Lea. But the big twist was gonna be that Isa was actually very sweet. We never got to see Isa's sweet side because BBSv2 got cancelled, so Nomura probably had no idea how to even handle his character in KH3. How do you redeem the meanest, nastiest, most unlikable Organization member without his backstory?

[angelswithouthearts]

Character Profile: Saïx’s Short Story

So, I know there’s at least one translation of Saïx’s short story on Twitter. Their reading differed from mine a bit, so I decided to give it a go. Thank you tuskactone on Twitter for sharing pictures of the character profile!

Saix Say What You Will

In the end, what’s a heart? What’s a friend? Was there a purpose to connecting one’s heart to others? It seems that the precious time we spent like this had meaning after all. To [watch] the sunset and eat ice cream, it was a very calm time, a precious time. What was the Organization about? What was the heart about? What are you thinking when you sit beside me? I can’t ask you, but I can imagine it. My chest hurts a little when I imagine it, at the same time I feel warm. In the end, I guess the Keyblade-wielders were right. It’s as though the inside of my chest is sweet and salty, just like the taste of sea-salt ice cream. The plan with the replicas was to atone, but I don’t know who I was atoning for. Maybe I wanted to atone for myself. Back then I thought we could do anything. I thought that, together, we would save that kid. I don’t know where it went wrong. The magic marks under your eyes that kept you from crying disappeared, you made other friends and laughed with them. In the end, I was just stubborn - a used fool. Even so, somewhere inside, I always believed in you. That’s why I’m here like this, watching the sunset, and eating sea-salt ice cream. You’re still a crybaby, but you don’t need the spell anymore. It seemed like you didn’t need me anymore. Yeah, it seemed like you didn’t need me at all. That’s why I sacrificed myself to that man. If you don’t need me anymore, I have no purpose. But the truth was different. It’s not about whether I’m needed or not. I just had to connect my heart to yours. Roxas and Xion are beside us, laughing, the kids from Twilight Town soon join in. It’s a bit loud. You’re boisterous and you squint at the sight. Your gaze is soft and warm. I sit beside you as I eat the sweet and salty ice cream. It has the same taste of the ice cream we ate in Radiant Garden back then. I never imagined a future where we’d eat ice cream like this. Being a crybaby was supposed to be your trademark. And yet, the sunset stings my eyes.

[T/N]: the [watch] on line 6 looks like that because I can’t see what kanji is used there, so that’s a guess on my part.

I don’t know what the reception of this particular translation will be “I just had to connect my heart to yours.” so I thought I should explain my process. Basically, what the source text says is “If I could just connect my heart that would be good” / ただ心が繋がっていればそれでよかった so Isa could be referring to connecting his heart to anybody, he could be referring to being able to connect his heart in general, or, based on the context in which this is said - which is Isa lamenting that Lea didn’t need him, that he was left for other friends and that ultimately it wasn’t about whether he was needed or not - Isa is referring to connecting his heart to Lea. That is not explicitly stated, however. That is my interpretation based on the context.

[witchypumpkindoesthings]

Just some headcanons for Vens s/o being able to tell him from Roxas. Like the gang tries to trick her but she's just like 'nah that's roxas. Can't you tell?'

This is seriously super cute. I love this headcanon so much! —Pumpkin♡

Ventus’s S/O can tell him apart from Roxas Headcanons.

☆Word count: 340

☆☆☆

—It all started when Roxas and Ven decided to pull a prank by switching clothes to try and fool everyone.

—Ventus came out in Roxas's clothes, handing out ice cream, and no one could tell. "Thank you Roxas!"

—Well... almost no one.

—"Thanks Ven!" You received odd stares from everyone around you. Lea raised a brow and laughed. “Huh? Are you blind? That’s Roxas!”

—The identical boys where shocked to say the least, they came clean. “No she’s right. I’m Ventus. Y/n... how could you tell?”

—You shrug and answer with “I just know.” To which Terra rolled his eyes to and nudged you. “Lucky guess.”

—That was the start of the “Let’s see if Y/n knows which is Ventus and which is Roxas” game.

—To say you were good at that game would be a major understatement.

—One time Ven asked you on a date and tried to send Roxas in his place. Obviously it didn’t work. Don’t worry, you still ended up having your date with the real Ven afterwards.

—Usually when Ventus and Roxas are together, it’s because both the Sea salt family and the Wayfinder family are hanging out as one big group, so Roxas and Ven tried switching behind everyone’s backs.

—Aqua and Terra were none the wiser, however you could tell immediately. Once the boys were caught, they both received an earful from the respected moms of the two groups (Isa and Aqua).

—Lea and Terra are really salty you can tell them apart and they can’t.

—They even tried to fool you while everyone was involved, really trying to convince you that Ven was Roxas or vice versa.

—Even the most elaborate pranks never worked on you.

—Ventus finally gives up and asks you “Seriously? How can you tell?”

—You can’t help but smile and pull him into a soft kiss before answering. “You’re my one and only. I just can.”

—Ven stopped trying to fool you after that, and went back to pranking the others with Roxas.

—...Sometimes you help.

[beanie-on-a-string]

to those people and places I can never go to

So I wanted to get back into the swing of writing and all, and ended up writing this thing about Kairi and Lea immediately after the events of Kingdom Hearts 3. I absolutely loved their friendship and wished they had shown more of it in the game. So, here’s this thing no one asked for...

The past few days on Destiny Islands had been perfect. Sounds of laughter and chatter resounded from the beach. After everyone gathered for the celebration, they figured it wouldn’t hurt to stay on the islands for a little bit. It was just the right amount of hot so that it wouldn’t be stifling, and the ocean was just the right temperature to wade in at any time of the day.

Kairi let the waves lap at her feet as she watched Lea – sorry, Axel - all but drag Isa into the water, the latter halfheartedly protesting as the former flicked water droplets at Isa and teased him, telling him not to ‘die in my arms a second time’. Roxas and Xion were not too far off, giggling as they floated on their backs, each one trying to outlast the other. She felt a hand on her shoulder and turned around, already knowing who it was.

“Riku,” she said, smiling softly at one of her oldest friends.

He smiled a similar smile in return, hiking up his pants a little as he stepped beside her, letting the ocean run over his feet like she was. The sunset framed his head like a halo, coloring his silver hair shades of pink and orange.

“Beautiful day, huh?” she said, moving a little closer to Riku and nudging his arm. Barely swaying at the contact, he hummed in agreement. There was a sentence left hanging in the air between them that was left unsaid.

it would be better if Sora were here

Kairi leaned a little against the taller boy, who wrapped his arm around her shoulder.  They stayed that way for a while, watching Mickey and Minnie exchanging soft smiles as they talked on the dock, watching Namine drawing them from inconspicuous glances over her sketchbook, watching Axel complaining about his now drenched hair as Isa held back laughter, watching Xion wade over to Roxas to show him a pretty seashell she had found.

A loud quack of irritation startled them both. They turned around to see Donald being held back by Goofy as he squawked about how Ventus ruined his sand statue yet again. The accused stood by the crime scene, flying disc in hand, cheeks pink as Aqua and Terra stifled giggles behind him.

“Oh,” Riku said after a moment, posture a little straighter as if he remembered something. “Ventus and I were playing around with Axel’s discs earlier. Want to join? It’s fun.”

“That’s sweet, Riku, but perhaps tomorrow.” She gave a small apologetic smile.

“Alright, then,” he said, then added, “Everything okay?”

She nodded. “Yeah.”

A little more silence, filled with more questions and answers left unsaid. “Well, I’m going to go back to them, alright?” He raised his eyebrows in an ‘is this okay?’ motion. Kairi nodded, lips quirking up in another smile. He squeezed her shoulder lightly, and then he was gone.

Most everyone had headed back by now, having either gone back to their respective houses or whoever’s house they were staying at for the time being. Kairi stayed behind, the wet sand between her toes feeling more like hardening cement. She didn’t move from her spot by the waves for a while, letting the ocean pull the sand from under her feet over and over. She stepped away when the sun was barely peeking out over the ocean, the sky slowly deepening from its dark orange to something of a dark lavender. She didn’t know where her feet took her from there, exactly, but she wound up at the large, crooked paopu tree she spent so much of her time looking out at their small world on. She stared at it for a moment, then reached out and pushed herself onto the tree, swinging her legs over the thick trunk and sitting down. She watched the sunset for a while, right hand sitting expectantly on the rough surface, like it wanted a hand to hold. His hand to hold.

His name hadn’t left her mind since the Keyblade Graveyard. It was always on her tongue; to the point where she would catch herself almost saying his name instead of what she really intended to say. Often times after that, she’d forget what it was, anyway, and would dismiss herself with a little ‘nothing’ or ‘I forgot’.

She gave a sad, halfhearted smile to the empty space next to her. She thought she had seen him here, with her, a few days ago. She felt the weight of his hand on hers. Maybe he was there. She’d like to believe he was. She’d like to believe he’d appear again. Maybe it was all some sick dream, and he’d show up behind her like nothing ever happened. She squeezed her eyes shut in a desperate attempt to wake up, if she could.

She opened them. Same lavender sky, same waves, same salty air, same lack of a certain someone. Her chest hurt where Xehanort had run her through only a few days earlier. She bowed her head and shut her eyes again, a futile effort to hold back the tears falling down her face and making dark spots on her dress.

“Sora,” she choked out between her sobs. She hid her face in her hands, although there was no one to see her cry.

It could have been a minute, or it could have been an hour, but however long it was, she jumped and a quiet shocked noise escaped her mouth when she heard a twig snap from behind her. She hastily wiped her tears (trying to make it seem like she was rubbing her nose) and turned around.

“Axel.” She looked up at the fiery-haired figure standing behind her. “You’re still here.”

“Oh no, I’d left a while ago,” he said, his ever-present nonchalant air apparent in his speech. “I just came back out since I never saw you head in. I think Riku may have noticed too, but I don’t know if he said anything.” He took a few steps towards the tree, but stopped as a weak ray of sunset shone on her face.

“Oh… kid, were you crying?” He rested both hands on the trunk and leaned forward, concern written plainly on his face.

“It’s nothing. Just… something in my eyes.” Kairi knew he wouldn’t believe that for a second.

“I wonder where I’ve heard that before,” Axel replied simply, but no menace in his voice. Kairi mentally cringed. I knew he wouldn’t buy it. She furrowed her brows and looked down.

“Can I…” Axel gestured to the empty space beside her.

no not there

“Sure,” she replied, scooting over a bit so he could sit down. Her heart gave a barely felt twinge as he shifted on the bark.

Neither of them said anything as the sun sunk below the horizon. Eventually, she felt a light tap on her shoulder, and was met with a blue ice cream bar and the strong smell of sea salt and vanilla filling her nose.

“That’d better not have been in your pocket this time,” she said, a small smile tugging at her lips as she took the ice cream. Her eyes were still damp, yes, but she was already feeling better with Axel around.

“Picky,” he teased as he produced an ice cream for himself. “Everyone forgets that I wrap them after I make ‘em. And besides, I was holding them in my hand. Not my pocket.”

Kairi bit off the corner of her bar. Axel followed suit, and opened his mouth to speak.

“Ah.” Kairi lifted a finger, eyebrows raised. Axel squinted in a mock glare, then swallowed the ice cream, rolling his eyes at her a little. She giggled, thinking back to how she’d always have to remind Sora not to speak with his mouth full.

Sor-

“You know, for a while, I used to not like these,” Axel said, gesturing to the ice cream with his free hand. “When I was a Nobody, anyway. I would eat them all the time – you know, with Isa – when I was younger. But when I was a Nobody, I don’t think I ate any more of this until Roxas came along. I don’t know why, but he wanted ice cream. So I went out to get some, and, remembering how much I used to eat it, I chose the sea-salt. When I tasted it for the first time – well, not really the first time, but you get my idea – it tasted awful. I didn’t know why I used to be so fond of it.” He cringed, as if he were reliving the memory. “I got used to it, though, eventually. I think I ended up getting the recipe myself, somehow.”

Kairi hummed in response, looking at Axel, red hair looking aflame under the fading rays of the sun.

“I didn’t tell you before, but… I like your outfit,” Kairi said, lightly touching the sleeve of Axel’s shirt.

He looked down at it as if he hadn’t realized he was even wearing it, then chuckled in a decidedly Axel-esque way, nudging her lightly. “Thanks, kid. You don’t look so bad yourself, you know.”

“Yeah, I know,” Kairi replied, nudging him back. The sky was in that odd transition phase between purple and blue, and right now, it was the color of Sora’s eyes. Kairi smiled at the sky, but it was pained and just brought yet another round of tears to her eyes. She ducked her head quickly, hoping Axel didn’t see. Obviously, he did.

“I know you miss him,” Axel said quietly, tentatively placing a hand on her back. Kairi nodded, too choked up to say anything back. “I’m not happy about it either,” he continued. “Didn’t expect it to happen, you know? Kid had a knack for surviving.”

Kairi nodded again, although she didn’t quite know what she was nodding at. She spoke, voice so quiet she could have been talking to herself. “Sora and I shared a paopu fruit here.” Axel raised his eyebrows in question. “Legends say that when two people share one, their destinies become intertwined. They’ll remain a part of each others’ lives, no matter what.” She swiped at her eyes. “When you miss someone, they’re everywhere. They’re in everything you see. It’s unbearable.”

“Yeah,” Axel said. Kairi looked up at him a little, wiping a tear from her chin. He looked vulnerable, just like he did that day when they were training in their little corner of time. “It was the same with Roxas and Xion. It felt like a part of me was missing. A large part. We had spent so much time together, and then… they weren’t. They just weren’t there anymore. While we were training, there were times when I looked at you… and Xion was all I could see.” Kairi could see Axel’s cheeks glistening, although it didn’t seem like he had realized it himself. “It hurt. It hurt so bad.”

“Axel,” Kairi said softly, placing a hand on his arm. He jolted, like he had forgotten she was there. His grip on his half-eaten ice cream stick - which had gotten so tight the wood seemed like it was going to choke – loosened, and he touched his cheek, staring at the tears that came away with his hand.

“Guess we both need those markings under our eyes, huh?” He joked, the delivery halfhearted. Kairi laughed, the sound coming out wet and a little pained. He inched a bit closer to her, his hand moving from the middle of her back to wrapping around her in a one-armed hug.

“You must be cold,” he said simply after a quiet sniff.

“I’m not anymore,” she said, curling up on the branch and leaning into his arm. They stayed that way as the sky turned from its odd blue to indigo, from indigo to navy, from navy to a star-littered sea of black.

By now, Kairi felt herself drifting off. She didn’t know if Axel had already done that – he was lying back on where the tree bent, his shape curving with the trunk. Kairi was still curled up by him, head resting on his legs. The moonlight was illuminating his face and hair in strange ways, making him look almost alien, but not unpleasant.

Her eyes fluttered. She was going to fall asleep soon enough. “Axel?” She murmured, voice impossibly quiet. No reply. “Axel?” She tried again. “Lea?”

After a moment, a barely audible reply of “Kairi?” came drifting back.

Kairi smiled sadly at the sound, then curled into herself further, finally closing her eyes. “Thank you.”

xxx

[unlockthelore]

Nighttime Dance

Xion has a hard time sleeping at night but Roxas fares no better.

Part 1 of the Twilight Mirage series. For more updates, follow the twilight mirage tag on this blog. 

Xion jolted upright with a sharp inhale, a sheen of light blinding her along with a familiar weight in her hand. A soft clink and a jingle drew her attention to the token lying in her lap attached to the chain leading to the hilt and guard of the key blade brandished at the dark shadows of her bedroom. She breathed in deeply, sucking in as much air as possible, releasing it through her nose slowly.

Gradually lowering her hand, the Keyblade vanished in a sheen of light and her fingers trembled. Although she knew every inch of this room from her desk with the cork board adorned with photographs and scraps of papers from her adventures to the stacks of books on the floor, and her collection of sea shells and star-shaped marbles on the bookshelf.

Her curtains pulled aside allowed silvery moonlight to stream through, casting a shadow across the floor.

It wasn’t anyone else’s to her relief. Just her own.

And yet somehow, that wasn’t comforting at all.

Drawing her knees to her chest, she wrapped her arms around them firmly and stared up at the moon. It wasn’t the heart-shaped prison that she had been helping to create. Rounded with small craters here and there, but otherwise untouched by her own hand or anyone else’s. It was almost comforting to see and she wondered what that light would look like reflected off the waves of Destiny Island’s sea. It was far too late to go sight-seeing, besides, Axel and Roxas would worry if she took off on her own to another world at night no less.

And the last thing she wanted to do was worry them after they’d all been through so much.

Guilt wrested in her stomach and she pressed her forehead to her knees, trying to rid herself of the image of their eyes. Axel pleading with her to simply return to how things were before. Roxas, confused and at the center of a conspiracy he wasn’t even aware of, just wanting to be friends again with no strings attached.

It was naïve but they both had been. They were simply following orders, trying to find where they belonged, and they found one another.

And that was the cruel irony.

They found solace in one another when they were each other’s greatest enemy. But now, they were each other’s greatest strength as well. Xion’s lips parted and she lifted her head, staring up at the sky.

After a moment, she shifted from beneath her blankets and slowly set her feet upon the ground feeling the cold chill from the flooring. Axel complained about it often and even told Isa they should think about carpeting all the floors. Isa refuted that the mansion should be left as it was made. Aside from decorating, they shouldn’t do anything strenuous.

No one argued with him on that. In hindsight, Axel might have been trying to lift the mood or erase painful memories. But those weren’t likely to fade.

Xion grasped her blankets a bit tighter then tugged them, bundling them up in her arms and following the trail of mess on her floor to the door. It was a juggling act opening the door while keeping the blankets from spilling over but she managed somehow. Easing her door shut behind her, she glanced down one hall then the other, somewhat disturbed by the silence.

It wasn’t unlike the Castle.

However, even there Nobodies were wandering about making some sort of noise in a way that they did. She would’ve been grateful even to see one of them slinking about the halls tidying things up or doing that strange wiggle dance they loved so much. Walking down the corridor, she glanced over the railing at the foyer where the television and game systems the others had procured were turned off, leaving it lonelier than usual.

Sometimes, they would come together for a game night. Tense silence becoming loud jeering and cheering as someone won and someone lost. It was easier to compete with one another, to try and work through rather than pretend. And some days when she attended, and one of the others saw her, they would give her a seat and a controller rather than make her wait or ignore her.

Perhaps it was their way of making up for treating her like a tool.

Or someone disposable.

She shook her head, standing outside of the room of the one person — no, perhaps the only person who would know how that felt. Hesitantly, raising her fist, she took a deep breath then knocked.

It took a second or perhaps longer but the door opened and Roxas stood there in his t-shirt and shorts, rubbing his eyes and blinking at her slowly. Clouded with sleep and head bobbing a bit, he yawned and stepped aside.

“Come in…”

Xion smiled faintly, grateful that he didn’t ask why she was there but he never did. This wasn’t the first time they’d done this and as Roxas closed the door behind her, she didn’t tense up or ask him to leave it cracked like before. It almost felt silly going to his room in the middle of the night when she had nightmare. Like she was a child when she wasn’t.

But Roxas didn’t judge her.

And that made a world of difference.

“You left one of your pillows last time,” Roxas said offhandedly, and Xion spied the pillow lying on his bed in the same place where she’d slept the last time she came. It was a soft white, contrasting to his darker grey and black pillows. Somehow, the colors together made her want to smile. Yet, she was curious as to why he didn’t just give it back to her.

And why was his bed still made?

“Were you sleeping at your window again?” Xion asked, looking to him as he wandered past her, sitting on the window ledge with his ankle resting on his knee.

Roxas stiffened up and though he tried his best not to look guilty, the reddened tinge to his cheeks gave him away.

“… Yeah…” he mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck with a downcast look.

Xion scowled, dumping her blankets on his bed and marching over to take him by the hand. His eyes widening as their hands touched and she resisted the urge to shudder. It was different. Holding hands without gloves. Nothing between them. Despite swinging key blades around constantly, his hands weren’t nearly as rough as she thought they might have been and they were incredibly warm.

Roxas seemed just as mystified, transfixed on their joined hands as if lost in a trance.

“You need to sleep in bed,” Xion managed to say, pulling him back toward his bed, avoiding the spherical lamp on the floor adorned with stars and mini rocket-ships. It was cute and cast a decent enough glow that she didn’t feel threatened by the shadows.

“The window’s not that bad,” Roxas mumbled, hiking his shoulder in a half-hearted shrug.

With the reddened imprint on his cheek likely from where his face had been pressed against the wood, she begged to differ.

“You were rubbing your neck, Roxas…” She pointed out, letting go of his hand once her legs bumped against the bed side and she smoothed out her blankets atop his own, sitting down. “Clearly, it isn’t that great.”

Roxas huffed, his lower lip jutting out in a slight pout. Under any other circumstance, she might have thought it was cute but not this one.

“I didn’t… realize I fell asleep until I woke up…”

A dull ache and stabbing pain wrenched at Xion’s heart. Even before gaining one, she knew what it was like to feel pain when someone she loved was hurting. And Roxas did this far too often for his own good. Scolding him wouldn’t do any good. It wasn’t as if it was his fault that he had nightmares. Bitterly, she wondered if he ever dreamt of her and the fights that they had.

Shifting back, she tucked the blankets around her legs and looked up at him, sighing softly before she spoke. “Lay with me?”

Roxas averted his gaze from her but when she asked, his head whipped around so quickly that she thought he might have casted Aeroga.

“I— Wh—“ Ruined protests parted his lips and eventually, he sighed, dragging his hand along the side of his face a few times before dropping it at his side. “Outside or inside..?”

Xion glanced between the options presented, looking down at the spherical lamp then toward the wall. It didn’t matter to her really. She just wanted to be close to him.

“You pick.”

“Mmmm….” Roxas tipped his head one way or another then looked toward the wall. He nodded his head and Xion shifted to one side, letting him climb over her and pull back the blankets, settling in close to the wall with the blankets tucked around his waist.

She was always thankful when he gave her the space to be able to leave when she wanted. Feeling trapped was the worst possible thing. And whenever they slept together like this, Roxas always let her have a clear view of the door and an escape route should she want go.

Right now though, that wasn’t what she wanted.

“So…” Roxas started, trailing off with a slight flex of his fingers as if he was unsure what to do with his hands, opening his arms to her hesitantly. “… Do you want?”

Xion resisted the urge to smile as she shifted closer to him, easing her arms around his middle and tucking her head against his shoulder, pulling him down against the pillows. Roxas followed her easily, his hand resting on her shoulder with a gentle squeeze. His hair still carried the faint scent of the ocean. Something salty and earthy, reminding her of Destiny Island but also the beach in Twilight Town where they played one afternoon.

Closing her eyes, Xion relaxed at the gentle rubbing to her shoulder and between her shoulder blades. Roxas’s touches light and shifting though never going much further than there.

“Hey Xion…?”

“Yeah?”

Roxas shifted his hand slightly, caressing her shoulder with his thumb idly brushing back and forth across her skin. “Do you want to just sleep like this from now on?”

Her eyes opened and she lifted her head, looking at him confusedly. “… Really?”

They had their own space partly because it was what they were used to but more often than not, they spent the nights together. A familiar dance to find some vestige of sleep.

Roxas stared up at the ceiling and though it was hard to see, his cheeks were flushed a light pink.

“Why not?” He asked, tipping his head to one side, coming nose to nose with her as he offered a little smile. “We always were better at fighting together. And who else is gonna keep me from sleeping at the window?”

Xion’s eyes widened. He was right about that. They made a good team. Even when it was just the two of them. And Roxas deserved to have peace in his own bed and his heart.

If she could give him that then it wouldn’t be that bad.

“… I’d like that,” Xion muttered, curling up closer to him, her head resting against his neck.

Roxas tensed up and the slow swipe of his fingers stilled, his hand lifting from touching her with a soft noise of surprise.

“… Thanks Xion,” he muttered into her hair, his hand resting on her upper arm with a light squeeze.

He always thanked her. For the little things. For the big. But she should be the one thanking him. At least, that’s how she thought about it sometimes.

“Thank you too, Roxas…”

Who the next morning came, Xion woke up earlier than Roxas as per their usual. Soft orange sun rays filtered through the curtains completely drowned out the stars on the ceiling and bathed the room in a copper glow. Roxas was still asleep and Xion took the opportunity to admire him. Spiky dirty blond hair flattened and splayed across the pillow, his face lax with sleep and terribly cute. Everything about him seeming much softer when he wasn’t scowling or frowning.

Minutes ticked by and once Roxas opened, his clouded eyes clearing and focusing on her, he smiled warmly with a sleepy sniffle.

“Morning Xion…”

Her heart fluttered and for a split second, she wondered if something was wrong with her. But no, it was just him. And she could get used to him looking at her like that.

“Morning.”

“Do we have to get up?” Roxas mumbled, running his hand up and down her side, his touch featherlight and warm like sunlight.

She melted beneath it. It didn’t feel necessary to escape this. Not when the person she felt safest with was there.

“Not right away,” she said after glancing at his alarm clock.

Roxas hummed a reply, resting his hand against her side, his cheek resting against her head as he nuzzled against her. “Was never good at getting up,” he muttered, stifling another yawn with a hand pressed over his mouth.

Xion hesitated at the feeling. It was different — not bad but certainly different. Distracting herself with what he said, she hummed. She always had gotten up early for missions — wanting to be free of the Castle’s atmosphere as soon as possible. Roxas did seem to take his time whenever he came strolling into the Castle’s foyer, and once or twice, she did see him yawning.

“If we’re sleeping together, you might make me into an early riser…” he said, opening his eyes a bit, his lips tugging into a lazy smile. “Might.”

Xion laughed softly, poking his side. “It feels like you’ll turn my habit into yours.”

Though that wouldn’t be so bad, would it?

Sleeping in because she felt safe instead of waking up early to escape.

“Wait, so does that make a bad influence or…”

“I guess we’ll have to wait to see.”

Roxas smiled at her adoringly and her heart fluttered as he nuzzled her head, muttering softly. “Yeah, guess we will…”

Maybe the nights wouldn’t be as frightening anymore.

[winterstorm032802]

The Memories are gone

Part 3

Xion: *back in her room alone* Friends...

Defective

Useless

Xion: *whispers* Help

Roxas: *enters the room* Hey Xion! I got food

Xion: ...*doesn't move nor even look at Roxas*

Roxas: *sets the plate down* Xion?

Xion: *mumbles incoherently*

Roxas: *walks over to Xion sitting in front of her* Xion please look at me

USELESS

PATHETIC

PUPPET

BROKEN

BACK-UP

REPLACEMENT

EXTRA

Xion: *mumbles over and over* Help *starts to panic* Help help help help help help help help help help help help help help

Roxas: *starts to get scared* (No calm down, it won't help her if I get so wound up) *calms down* Xion *hugs her* Hey I'm here for you

Xion: *unevenly breaths* Rox-Roxas please...help *passes out landing on Roxas*

Roxas: Xion! It's okay, I'll help *Carry's Xion bridal style* Lea! Isa!

...

Xion: *stirs as she feels something warm all over her body*

Roxas: Hey sleepyhead

Xion: *opens her eyes seeing the orange, red, white, and pink sky* Light...

Roxas: *helps her sit up* Recognize this place?

Xion: Sun is setting? Sunset...

Roxas: Yeah it is, Isa and Lea are coming back

Xion: Isa? Lea?

Roxas: That's Saïx and Axel's real names

Xion: Real

Lea: We got it

Isa: Here *hands Xion Sea Salt ice cream* Eat up

Xion: *holds the ice cream in her hands before taking a bite* It's sweet...but salty

Lea: It's called Sea Salt ice cream, got it memorized?

Xion: Yes..I will *closes her eyes* ...

Roxas: ?

Xion: Roxas

Roxas: Yeah

Xion: *smiles brightly* I think I remember

Roxas: You do!?

Xion: Thank you Lea, Isa and Roxas I am so grateful for you all *grins while tearing up* Thank you

The End

[nadziejastar]

The fact Ansem The Wise got redeemed always makes me physic want to punch a wall and b) why the heck does Ienzo want to even be around the other apprentices after just how badly they fucked him over as a legitimate child.

And don’t even get me started on the Isa redemption. Lea is a prick and even as Axel he was a prick, so I am a bit kinder to him. but. not. by. much. And I don’t like either of them. Or any of the apprentices, except Ienzo. I like Ienzo.

It’s so frustrating because KH0.5 would have been the game to fix those issues. If KHBBS is KH0, then KH0.5 (aka BBSV2) should have depicted everything that happened between BBS and KH1. So, the apprentices would have been far more developed and I’m sure we’d understand how they were manipulated by Xehanort and Braig.

"Ienzo, where are you? Answer me."

I remember Even well as he searched for me with a slightly shrill voice. Master Ansem was busy, so it was Even who looked after me at the time. He often scolded me for walking around on my own, but I think he was showing me affection in his own way.

I can't say anything about why Ienzo forgives Dilan or Aeleus, because they're too underdeveloped. But Even did raise him. He was strict, but he did love him and would worry when he would walk off by himself.

He was very strict about studying, and he would severely rebuke me if I made a mistake in a simple calculation. In that respect, Master Ansem was the one who was always kind. He often bought me sea-salt ice cream. He had a fondness for the sweet and salty treat, and he frequently let me have some too. Come to think of it, I believe that Even often scolded master Ansem. He said he spoiled me too much.

And KH0.5 would have showed that Ansem the Wise was a kind and loving father figure to Ienzo who’d take him out for ice cream a lot. He was responsible for Ienzo’s fondest memories. We only get this info from Ienzo’s Character File, but it was in the teaser for BBSV2.

Upon discovering the tests I've been conducting, my master demanded that I cease my work immediately and destroy what research I have compiled. Worse still, he ordered the release of my remaining subjects. She is gone. Where is Subject X now? Has "wise" Master Ansem hidden her away?

Experiments of the Heart – Notes on Subject X, Excerpt 2

Ansem the Wise was horrified after learning his apprentices were experimenting on humans and made them destroy their research and release the rest of the subjects. He must have discovered Subject X at this point. I presume it was Mickey who took Ansem and Subject X to Twilight Town using the Gummi Ship. The Subject X plot should not have been relegated to a few Secret Reports and left as sequel-bait. It should have been covered in KH0.5.

About ten years before KH I, Terra-Xehanort, who had been found as an amnesiac, flourished as Ansem the Wise’s best apprentice. However, he completely changed after undergoing a psychological experiment related to darkness in hearts.

(Kingdom Hearts Ultimania: The Story Before Kingdom Hearts III)

When Terranort first joined the apprentices, he had brown eyes and Terra's personality. Ansem genuinely loved him, so I understand why he'd feel so confused and betrayed. He experimented on Terranort’s heart to help him restore his memory. And after that he completely changed. And his Heartless and Nobody had orange eyes.

Day 118: You Changed, Not Me

Talking to Roxas and Xion always brings back memories of my human life, back when I was a kid. It's a weird sensation. I ought to be able to share all this with Saïx, but I just don't feel like it anymore. It's strange, but I'm content with just missing what's gone. I'm not the one who changed. You did.

And of course, what if Isa had been the amnesiac Subject X? If Ansem the Wise took Isa to Twilight Town and experimented on him, to help him regain his memory, that would explain why Saix had orange eyes. And I’m assuming his personality also completely changed. The Subject X plotline was perfect for KH0.5. It would have made Ansem the Wise and Isa way more sympathetic.

[moonwaif]

Isa: Why do you like sea salt ice cream so much?

Lea: Cuz I love salty snacks!

Lea: Salty snacks like you, for instance 😘

Isa:😳😤😖🙄❤